A STONEMASON apprentice has left a lasting mark on Salisbury Cathedral.

Christian Sullivan marked the end of his four year apprenticeship by laying the final stone on the latest area of the Cathedral’s ongoing Major Repair Programme to be completed.

Christian, who is now embarking on a stonemasonry foundation degree, spent the last two months carving a copy of a damaged finial to complete the south east side of the cathedral.

Urgent repairs began over thirty years ago when architects found many of the roofs to be in excess of 150 years old, and sunlight shining through the spire where stones had disintegrated to two inches thick.

Head Mason Lee Andrews, said: “Christian came to us looking for a job that would engage both his hands and his mind.

"As a mason you form a very strong bond with the cathedral, learning as you work and getting to know the fabric intimately."

Salisbury Cathedral is one of only nine in England to have its own Works Department including stonemasons, carpenters, and glaziers.

Taking just one apprentice every four years, Christian’s role was much sought after.

He said: “I knew I wanted to make things but never saw myself as a mason in particular, that is something that has grown with the job.

“It is amazing to think that my work is now up there on the east side and will be for the next few hundred years.”

Since repair work began, the spire, roof, north, south and west faces of the Cathedral have been completed.

As part of the repair programme, Salisbury Cathedral run the Sponsor a Stone Project where members of the public can purchase a stone to be inscribed with their initials and fixed to the cathedral wall.

The scheme helps fund conservation, although it is estimated a further £1m will be needed to finish the essential work.

The team are now starting on the Trinity Chapel, the oldest part of the building it has remained untouched since 1220.